What the Easter Bunny brought.

Several books.

Tiny jelly bean filled egg.

Legos in many of the eggs.

Yes. Undies

Good bye April. Hello May.

April was wet, really wet. We had one really nice day, April 23rd. Can't complain much about that little birthday present from God. May is gorgeous. Well, it's only May 1st, but so far, May's looking good. Unfortunatly, the kiddos are sick, sick, sick. Josiah will not be going to school tomorrow. Adaya is sleeping most of the day away.

Hey, I think I'll post some April photos!

Stinking cute, little, bugger

Mommy set up the studio lights yesterday to do a newborn shoot with 6 day old Elias and his parents. Adaya got into the action too. Josiah was too busy reading to care. He is reading the Box Car Children again. I hope he will read more than the four Grandma Bethune bought him. We now own all 16 of the original series, thanks to Powells. I love Powells. I love cheep, used books.

Our new friend- Elias James Parker Carlson

Little engineers - Jr FIRST Lego League

Today was our first meeting and it was crazy and fun. The boys were so excited. Casey could hardly sit still. In fact I had to ask him several times not to do head stands on the couch. He also rocked the glider onto it's back. Josiah talked more to his team mates than I have ever heard him talk to friends. Luke's mom had to drag him out to the car fifteen minutes after the meeting was officially over. The best behaved one was the one I was most worried about, Porter. I sure did not expect Adaya to fall apart for half the meeting. I think I will let her watch a movie next week.

What I didn't expect today was for Josiah to show off his lego skills. Skills I didn't realize he yet had. He's played with Grandpa Smith's erectors, but only since Thanksgiving. He's played with lego motors and gears a little, but only since Christmas, and mostly he's just watched the big boys play. After today, I have a feeling that FIRST is going to be an organization that we will be getting to know well.

I wonder what would happen if I let him keep building on his model. It's really too bad that he can't keep working on it. We really do need the pieces to start our team model next week.

Less than an inch = no school

"snow castle"

It took all the snow in our yard to make our friend.

snow angel

ready to throw one

Jr First Lego League

It looks like we will be starting a Jr FLL club, at my house, this next month. Currently there are 3, 1st grade boys on the team. We won't be doing any robot programing this year, but maybe by the time they are 3rd graders we will incorporate it into our design. Unlike a FLL team for 4th-8th grades, JrFLL is non competitive and we do not have to have a robot.

This year's theme is Body Forward. We will be learning about biomedical engineering. Yes, 1st graders are going to learn what the term biomedical engineering means. They will be designing a tool, out of Legos, that is the result of biomedical engineering. I am looking forward to sharing their achievements with you.

Because she's cute even when she's sick

Sick day

Adaya is, at this moment, working on her 3rd or 4th nap of the day, this one in Daddy's favorite chair. Mom and Dad are still washing the blankets. This afternoon she has been able to keep some sipped juice (no she doesn't usually use a sippy cup) down. Hoping that this is a short bug and that the rest of us don't get it. I hear some wimpering coming from that brown leather chair over yonder. I need to get her some tylonal for her fever and hope that doesn't come back up. Sigh.

growing crystals

After a school field trip to the Rice Rock and Mineral Museum, Josiah decided to try his hand at growing crytals. Mom helped, of course. She purchased a $25 crystal growing kit for $10 off the Freddy toy clearance shelves, boiled water, and transfered the hot solutions to their crystal growing containers. Then we watched and waited for several days.

Kenya

So, um, I think I'm going to Kenya in July for a couple weeks. Because, well, I've been working on the designs for Visible Grace Academy for several years and they finally have the money to break ground this year. So I kind of need to do this.

Also, I'm sure it will be a great opportunity to take pictures and they will look good on my blog. :O)

I'm going to need:

$2000 for a plane trip
child care help

Who's in?

Christmas eve

In their new pj's and ready for bed. They can't wait to see what Santa will put in their stockings and what mom and dad put under the tree.

burning down the house

Celebrating Wes's 37th birthday with a few friends at community group the evening before. Party - Wednesday December 22

B-day - Thursday December 23

first major technic build

1100 pieces of technic legos. Rated for ages 10-16. Josiah completed 99% of this on his own.

Adaya is checking under the tractor to see what needs repaired.

And sometimes I draw

30 minute sketches of the Smith family

A messy art morning

Mornings like today make being a stay at home mom the best job ever.